719 World Center

The sky was shrouded in darkness as the wind howled.

The 17 Giant Apes knelt before their king in a show of respect.

"Your Majesty," they intoned.

"The Myriad Species Arena begins in a year's time." The one-armed Giant Ape King, though shorter than his subjects, exuded an intangible and unfathomable aura. "It is located at the World Center, and even with an aircraft, it will take us a month to reach it. We must set off early."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Giant Apes responded in unison.

A massive aircraft soon arrived, and the one-armed Giant Ape King and his 17 subjects boarded.

In the belly of the aircraft, the one-armed Giant Ape King gazed out at the quickly shrinking landscape. The aircraft soared through the clouds at breakneck speeds.